Universal wrench adapter



1951 L. L. c. WICKE 2,562,973

UNIVERSAL WRENCH ADAPTER Filed April 19, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l /f 20 I 1; E4.

j 22 my PIES.

I029 FIE- 1 INVENTOR. LESTEIZ LCWICKE Aug. 7, 1951 1.. c. WICKE 2,562,973

UNIVERSAL WRENCH ADAPTER Filed April 19, 1949 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 4 INVENTOR. W LESTER L.C.WICKE Patented Aug. 7, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,562,973 cinvsnsn WRENCH ADAPTER Lester L-. c. Wicke, Manitovvoc, Wis. Application April 19, 1949, Serial No. 88,245

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a wrench 'adajoter, and more particularly to an attachment for socket wrenches and the like.

It is an object of this inventionto provide a socket adapter of the kind to be more particularly described hereinafter particularly designed for use with socket wrench sets for use on the socket wrench handle for reachingaround close corners or in restricted spaces ordinarily" inaccessible to standard wrenches.

Another object of this invention is to provide a universal type of geared adapter of this kind for use between the socket, engaged on a nut or the like, and the handle therefor to provide for the unlimited, free swingin movement of the handle about the socket while providing and maintaining a direct driving connection between the handle and the socket.

In this manner a socket wrench may be used in heretofore inaccessible places and the handle may be extended to such place or position where it may be easily and efficiently operated in the desired manner for rotating the socket and nut engaged thereon.

With the above and other objects in View, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claini.

In the drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a universal wrench adapter, constructed according to an embodimentof my invention; 7

Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken on'the 1ine3 e of Figure 2; I

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

I Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5--5 or Figure '2'? V Figure 6 is a side elevation of a ihcdified form of this invention;

Figure 7 is an end elevation of the modified form shown in Figure 6,

I Figure 8 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7 V Figure 9 is a transverse section taken on the line 9--9 of Figure'li Figure 10 is an end elevation or the second modified form of wrench adapter;

Figure 11 is a longitudinal "sectiontakenon the line l'l--l I orr'igure o;

Figure 12 is 'a side elevation of the" modified form of wrench adapter shown in" Figures 10 and 11.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l5 designates generally a universal type of adapter ror socket wrench sets and the like for en agemerit between a socket wrench handle I6 and the sockets which are normally attached to the worm i'ng end of the handle. The adapter [5 is provided for securing the socket to the working end or the handle it at right angles theretoin a manner whereby the socket may be rotated upon rotation of the handle [6 about its axis. The adapter i5 is particularly designed for use inpl'ace of a ratchet type or handle so that the full rotating use of the handle 16 may be applied for engaging the socket on a not or other work piece in place of the ratchet wrench which is'lim ited to restricted movement. 7

The adapter i5 is formed of a pair of right"- angularly-dispos'eol shaft sections I! and i8 secured together at one end. The shaft sections H and I8 are secured together by being formed integrally with or secured to an elbow l9 having a greater diameter than the diameter of the shaft sections to form right-angularly-di'sposed shoulders 29 and 2!. The shoulder slfl and 21 on the shafts ill and i8 are substantially concentric to the axis of the shaft sections and form abutment members against which the inner ends of the sleeve section's carried by the shaft sections are adapted to be seated. A sleeve element 22 is rotatably supported on one of the shaft sections, as the shaft section ii, and is formed with a tool or handle-receiving recess 24 at the outer end'th'ereof. A bevel gear 25 is fixed to or formed integrally with the inner end of the sleeve emf;- rnent 2'2 and is adapted to abut the shoulder 28 at the inner ends of the shaft section II. I

The sleeve element'zz is held on the shaft sec tion IT for rotation thereon by 'a washer 26 which is secured to the outer end of the shaft section I]. The shaft section His formed with a recess 21 across the outer face thereof-extendihg across the diameter. The washer 28 is formed with a rib 28 in the center which is adaptedto be engaged in the recess 2? for holding the washer ZBUagainSt rotation relativeto the shaft ['1 upon rotation of the sleeve element 22. The washer '26 is secured on the shaft section H by a screw 29; or other suitable fastening -means, which extends through the concave side of the rib 28 and into the recess Z'l, intermediate the length thereof. The disposition of the screw 29 in the bead 2 8 and recess 27 is such that the screw or bolt 29 need not be severely tightened down for adequately supporting the washer 26 in place. The Washer 26 has an outside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the shaft section II, and is adapted to be seated in the recess 24 of the cylindrical sleeve element 22. The inside surface of the washer 26 will bear against the bottom 33 of the recess 24 for rotatably supporting the sleeve 22 in place.

The recess 24 is rectangular in configuration, though other polygonal shapes may be adequately provided for engagement of the rectangular socket-engaging'end of the handle [6. For universal application of the adapter [5, the recess 24 is preferably made of an enlarged size and an adapter 31 is provided for engagement within the recess 24 for engagement of handles IE having shanks, not shown in the drawings, of a smaller size. The adapter 3! is formed with a polygonal opening 32 through the center thereof within which the reduced shank of the handle it is adapted to be freely and operatively engaged.

A sleeve element 34 is rotatably supported on the other shaft section l8 for cooperation with the sleeve section 22 carried by the shaft section 11. The sleeve section 34 is rectangular in outside configuration having a cylindrical bore 35 along the length thereof. A bevel gear 36 is fixed to or formed on the upper end of the sleeve section 34 for cooperation with the bevel gear 25 carried by the sleeve section 22. A recess 37 is formed in the lower end of the sleeve section or element 34 within which the washer 38, carried by the lower end of the shaft section I8, is adaptedto be engaged. The lower end of the shaft section 18 is formed with a diametric groove or recess 39 within which the bead or rib 40, carried by the washer 38, is adapted to be engaged in the same manner as the bead 28 of the washer 23 described above. The washer 38 extends outwardly beyond the periphery of the shaft section .18 and is adapted to be seated Within the recess .31. The top wall 4| of the recess 31 bears on the inner surface of the washer 38 for rotatably supporting the sleeve element 34 on the shaft section [8. The upper or inner end of the sleeve section 34 rotatably bears against the shoulder 2! of the elbow at the upper or inner end of the shaft section.

The sleeve section 34 is rectangular in configuration for engagement thereon of a socket 42,

which is of substantially conventional configuration. The socket or tool element 42 is formed with a recess 44 on the upper side thereof which is rectangular in configuration, within which the lower end of the sleeve section 34 is adapted to be frictionally engaged. The lower side of the socket member 42 is formed with a recess 45 therein, within which the nut or other work piece is adapted to be engaged.

In the use and operation of the adapter 15, the shank of the handle [6, not shown in the drawings is adapted to be seated in the adapter plug 3| which is frictionally engaged in the recess 24 of the sleeve 22. The socket 42 is frictionally engaged on the lower end of the sleeve 34 and is then placed in engagement with the nut or other article of work to be rotated. Upon rotation of the handle IS, the gear 25, meshing with the gear 36, will rotate the sleeve section 34 about the shaft section l8, thereby effecting the rotation of a work piece engaged within the recess 45 of the socket member 42,

In Figures 6 to 9, inclusive, there is shown a modified form of wrench adapter 56] which is formed substantially in the same manner as the wrench adapter [5 described above. The wrench adapter 50 is formed with a pair of shaft sections l1 and I8 engaged on an elbow IS. The shaft sections I! and 18 are formed with shoulders 20 and 2i in exactly the same manner as the shoulders on the wrench adapter I5. The wrench adapter 50 is formed with a rotating sleeve element 22 exactly the same as the sleeve element 22 of the wrench adapter l5. A cylindrical sleeve 34a is carried by. the other shaft section 18 and is formed with-a polygonal recess Bla on the lower open end thereof. The rotatable sleeve sections 22 and 34a are connected at their adjacent ends by the interengagement of the gear sections 25 carried by the sleeve element .22 and the gear 35a carried by the sleeve 34a.

The recess 37a in the sleeve 34a is substantially deeper than the recess 31 of the sleeve 34, and an adapter BI is adapted to be seated within the recess 31a. The adapter or member 5| is formed with a polygonal opening 52 through the center thereof within which the shank 54 carried by the socket member 55 is adapted to be engaged. The wrench adapter I5 is provided for that type of socket 42 having an opening on the upper side thereof within which the wrench is adapted to be engaged, whereas the wrench adapter 54 is formed for engagement of a socket member 55 having a shank 54 extending upwardly from the top side thereof. The socket member 55 is formed with a polygonal recess 56 on the lower side thereof within which the nut to be engaged may be seated. The sleeve sections 22 and 34a are secured on the shaft sections I1 and 18 in the same manner as the sleeve sections of the adapter l5.

In Figures 10, 11 and 12, there is shown a second modified form of this invention, designated generally by the numeral 68. The wrench adapter Bil is formed of a pair of shaft sections li'h and I8?) which are secured together by an elbow I31) having outwardly-extending shoulders 2th and 2th which are disposed at an angle greater than A cylindrical sleeve 2% is rotatably supported on the shaft section llb in substantially the same manner as the sleeve sections 22 descibed above. The sleeve section 341) rotatably supported on the shaft section 18?) is rectangular in outside configuration, in substantially the same manner as the sleeve section 34, of the wrench adapter l5. A socket 42b is carried by the lower free end of the rectangular sleeve memher 341) in the same manner as the socket member 42 of the adapter 15. The wrench Ll is adapted to be engaged in the central opening 321) of the adapter socket carried in the outwardlyopening recess 241) formed in the upper outer end of the sleeve element 221).

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claim.

I claim:

A'universal wrench adapter comprising a first shaft, a second shaft positioned at an angle with respect to said first shaft and having one end secured to one end of said first shaft, a first hollow sleeve circumposed upon said first shaft inwardly of said one end of the latter and connected to said first shaft for rotation therearound, a second hollow sleeve circumposed about said second shaft inwardly of said one end of the latter and connected to said second shaft for rotation therearound, a beveled gear on said one end of each of said sleeves, said beveled gears being in meshing engagement with each other, a first 5 socket adapter fixedly positioned within said first sleeve adjacent the other endpf the latter and having one end in engagementv with the other end of said first shaft and having the other end flush with the other end of said first sleeve for receiving an end of a driving element, and a second socket adapter arranged in end to end abutting relation with respect to the other end of said second sleeve for receiving the head of an element to be driven, a hollow locking member provided with a polygonal-shaped bore fixedly positioned within said second sleeve adjacent the other end thereof, and a shank secured to and projecting from the abutting end of said second adapter and slidably engageable with said polyg- 15 Number onal bore.

LESTER L. C. WICKE.

t 6 REFERENCES crrzn The following references are is: record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES Pig-timers Number Name I Date 1,309,727 Greig et a1. July 15, 1919 1,482,508 Colihan Feb. 5, 1924 1,489,908 Tanner Apr. 8, 1924 1,700,509 Moore Jan. 29, 1929 1,861,326 Sessions May 31, 1932 2,284,871 Huss June 2, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date 104,052 Sweden Mar. 17, 1942 

